From the beginnings of the novel in the 17th century until the present day, the sea has provided a compelling backdrop for storytelling. Be they tales of adventure and derring-do, romance, philosophy, historical, political or geographical drama, the allure of the sea is strong.

Many of those isolated hamlets are most easily accessible by boat rather than car, so in 1959, a group of librarians secured government funding to launch a waterborne library service with a special emphasis on children’s literature.

The SWS library keeps growing. But unfortunately the shelf space doesn’t! It’s a torment trying to cull… but editing your life frequently and ruthlessly, for me at least, brings much needed clarity.

Lewis was born in England, of a Welsh-Irish family, and brought up in New Zealand and Rarotonga, where his unconventional father sent him to the Polynesian school - for ever after he was really a Polynesian under the skin. He always called himself a New Zealander.